Brian Bradley
NS&D Monitor
5/1/2015
The House Armed Services Committee agreed to a set of five amendments to the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act that would directly impact the Defense Department’s role in nuclear enterprise during a lengthy markup hearing on the bill this week. The bill was ultimately reported out of committee by a vote of 60-2. Among the approved amendments was a provision that would call on the Pentagon to increase its communications with Congress about strategic forces. “The committee is concerned that certain matters are not reported to the committee in a timely way,” the bill states.
The amendment would require the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to brief HASC quarterly between June 1, 2015, and Sept. 30, 2016, on matters including the readiness and disposition of assets and personnel in the nuclear triad. “The committee notes that several significant issues that prompted the Department’s Nuclear Enterprise Review had not been disclosed to the committee and several specific problems in the Air Force component of the Department’s nuclear enterprise were only made known to the committee through press reporting,” the bill states. Committee members also approved two amendments introduced by Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.)—one calling for DoD briefings on the costs of forward-staged nukes in Europe and another requiring a report on strategic missile commonality.
CSAF Would Have to Appoint Deputy to Oversee Deterrence
Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) was successful in amending the bill to direct the Air Force Chief of Staff to designate a Deputy Chief of Staff to direct and oversee the nuclear deterrence mission of the Air Force, and require the Air Force Secretary to consolidate the responsibility and authority for the Air Force’s nuclear mission under a major command. The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved Gen. Robin Rand to lead Air Force Global Strike Command. When he steps into that role this summer, AFGSC will upgrade from a three- to a four-star command, one reform that emerged from a comprehensive set of recommendations outlined in Nuclear Enterprise Reviews completed last year.
HASC Strikes Down Batch of Amendments
During this week’s markup hearing, committee members struck down a slew of amendments related to DoD management of the nuclear enterprise, ranging from one that would hve ordered a cost-benefit analysis of maintaining a triad, to one that would have required cost-sharing of U.S. nuclear weapons maintained in support of NATO in Europe. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) introduced the first amendment relating to DoD management of the nuclear enterprise, which would have ordered the Defense Secretary to request an independent study focusing on the role of tactical nukes in nuclear deterrence and assurance. During a roll call vote, the amendment was struck down 36-26.
The committee also struck down several amendments proposed by Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), one of which would have directed a cost-benefit analysis for maintenance of the triad versus a dyad or monad, and one that would have required a report on timelines, and per-year and life-cycle costs of life extension programs and new nuclear weapons. Also rejected was a Larsen amendment that would have established yearly reports outlining nuclear cost estimates through a 25-year cost window, and a Sanchez amendment that would have required the Defense Secretary to propose to NATO a cost-sharing arrangement for nuclear weapons, including the B61, stationed in Europe.
Bill Authorizes $1.4B for Sea-Based Deterrence Fund
The House version of the FY16 defense authorization bill would also authorize the transfer of $1.4 billion into the Sea-Based Deterrence Fund from Navy research and development funds, expand the transfer authority for the Fund from the Navy to the Defense Department, allow the account to be involved in “cross-program coordinated procurement efforts” and provide incremental funding and facilities funding authority. “Building the Ohio Replacement poses a significant challenge to our Navy and requires creative solutions to the well-known pressure that this program will put on our other shipbuilding programs without top-line relief,” HASC Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) said in a statement. “It is important to note that our nation has faced the challenge of building and replacing our sea-based deterrence platforms in the past and found the will to get it done. I believe that the same is true today and that with the authorities and support this mark provides, we move closer to the goal of replacing the SSBN fleet while preserving other vital shipbuilding priorities.”
